Friday, November 14, 2014

The three Year 3 classes at Emilia's school went to Rottnest Island for 3 days. They left on a Wednesday morning and returned Friday afternoon. This is an annual tradition at her school and I think it's as much for the kids as for the parents learning to let their 8 and 9 year olds go. This whole school year has been leading up to this trip with learning about the island and bicycle training.

While Emilia was there, she was in a cabin of 4 kids and 1 adult. Her cabin had Sophie, Ava and Laila. Emilia and Sophie shared a room, Ava and Laila shared a room and Matthew's mom stayed on the fold out bed. The cabins ranged from 3 kids to 6 kids. They picked 5 friends in order that they wanted and one of the teachers organized who was going in what cabin. So they didn't have to choose kids in their class.

The kids also had a budget ($10 for each person in their cabin) and had to plan the breakfast for Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and cook. So they planned to make pancakes on Thursday and toast, eggs and bacon for Friday.

On Wednesday after they got off the ferry, they played and had lunch at the bakery. Then in the afternoon they went to the basin (the beach) and swam and played in the sand. Then Emilia chose to do art. They also went to the shops to buy breakfast items for the next 2 days. Then they went home and made dinner of spaghetti bolognese with her house.

On Thursday, they had the triathlon. Emilia ended up 5th in her division. Then they went back to the houses to take a shower, went to the bakery for lunch and then the museum with all Year 3's. Then Emilia went to play and took a bike ride around the island with Thomas' dad, Thomas and Leo. Then they went to the Settlement (bakery and shops) and got ice cream. Then they went back and changed before the Year 3 barbeque with sausage sizzles, where the kids had to shoo away the seagulls, and game night.

On Friday, they packed up all their stuff and Emilia played tennis in the street. Then they made their breakfast. They played some more.

Emilia says she had the best backyard even though it was the smallest since it was filled with quokkas so everyone would come over there. They went souvenir shopping (Emilia bought a stuffed quokka for her and Beau). They went to Thomson Bay for a treasure hunt on the beach where you had to find tiny treasures from other countries and Emilia found what could have been a pirate earring. They went for a swim and lunch. Then back to the ferry.

Here's when we went as a family. Emilia had a great time and took lots of pictures of quokkas and a peacock. She took 1 picture of a friend and none inside the house.

Pictures Chris took before Emilia. He had to take her and the bike down to Freo to catch the ferry.

Emilia and Sophie

Emilia and Nikemie

The ferry going to Rottnest

Emilia's pictures:

Emilia at the top of the climbing frame at the bakery. Picture taken by Sophie Cook.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

The night before Halloween, we carved pumpkins. Chris and I have been carving pumpkins since we've been married. The kids picked out their pattern and after scooping out the insides, they went to town. This year Chris even found some pumpkin carving knives since all ours are in storage in the USA. We realized how difficult it was last year without these little saws since we just had our kitchen knives.

Then around 5:15 last night after an early and quick dinner we started trick or treating. Celebrating Halloween is not so prevalent here but I noticed a big increase in costumes at the store and decorations just between last year and this one. We even tried to get people to dress up at work and decorate the office! We started around our house a bit slow but then found the block party we're used to! Kids go when it's light so we started a little later and half the houses were out of candy on this street when we got to them but it was fun to see half of Emilia's school in their costumes. Candy, gummy worms, chocolate and one family even had a popcorn machine. There were a few games, tricks, and lots of treats.

Pumpkin guts!

Chris asked Beau to get closer to his pumpkin for a picture

Emilia making her outline

Cutting the pumpkins.

Chris had Beau fake cutting after I did it. At first it was in his right hand but he's left handed. But it really looks like he's thinking hard with his Chapman tongue hanging out!

All lit up!

Emilia's one-eyed pumpkin

Beau's pumpkin

Batman and Batgirl watching some tv while they wait to go trick or treating

Emilia with a smile

Now the crime fighters are both serious!

First house across the street had candy!

She's growing up but still wanted to be Batgirl so she had a superhero and could play dress up with Beau.

A witch handing out candy bars!

My posse

This house by the park went all out with decorations.

Mario and Sam from Emilia's class last year greeted us when we found the Halloween street and gave us the tips on where to get popcorn.

Poor Batgirl's boots kept falling down and Batman was having problems seeing with his mask but that didn't slow them down.

Gummy fangs

Batman!

The last house before heading home. The streets were almost clear and everyone was heading home by 6:30.

About Me

I am a 3rd generation Houstonian and Chris moved around when he was younger until they settled in Texas. We met at a wedding and married less than 2 years later on March 3, 2001. We have a daughter named Emilia and a son named Beau. We lived in The Woodlands, TX until my job offered us the chance of a lifetime to move to Perth. After living in Perth for 2 1/2 years, we moved back to The Woodlands in July 2015. We're simply Christians with a love for our kids, Star Wars, Les Miserables and swimming.